Miniaturized devices, such as actuators, micro-optics, micro-fluidics, resonators tunable electronics (mechanical filters), scanning probe microscope tips, micropower generators, and sensors (for example, temperature, pressure, acceleration, flow, radiation, chemical species etc.) sometimes include micromechanical structures formed from semiconductor materials. The micromechanical structures can be, for example, a membrane, cantilever beam, or tethered proof mass, etc., which is designed to be perturbed by external stimuli when used as a sensor, or to produce a motion when used as an actuator. Typically, the micromechanical structures are micromachined by an etching process. In some instances, a film of polycrystalline material is deposited over the micromechanical structure to provide the micromechanical structure with additional properties. For example, the film may have piezoresistive, piezoelectric, etc., properties. A drawback of polycrystalline films is that it is difficult to produce polycrystalline films that have consistent or uniform properties. In addition, some desirable functional properties are not provided by polycrystalline films. Furthermore, polycrystalline films are usually less stable at high temperatures and corrosive environments which restricts operation of devices including these films to lower temperatures and less corrosive environments.